Singabloodypore

YANGON, Myanmar - Myanmar's junta seized U.N. aid shipments Friday meant for a multitude of hungry and homeless survivors of last week's devastating cyclone, forcing the world body to suspend further help.

The aid included 38 tons of high-energy biscuits and arrived in Myanmar on Friday on two flights from Bangladesh and the United Arab Emirates.

"All of the food aid and equipment that we managed to get in has been confiscated," U.N. World Food Program spokesman Risley said.

"For the time being, we have no choice but to end further efforts to bring critical needed food aid into Myanmar at this time," he said.

At least 62,000 people are dead or missing in Myanmar, entire villages are submerged in the Irrawaddy delta and aid groups warned that the area is on the verge of a medical disaster.

The U.N. has grown increasingly critical of Myanmar's military rulers' refusal to let foreign aid workers into the country while the junta appeared overwhelmed and more than 1 million homeless people waited for food, medicine and shelter.

"The frustration caused by what appears to be a paperwork delay is unprecedented in modern humanitarian relief efforts," Risley said. "It's astonishing."

9 May 2008

On 8 May 2008, the Straits Times reported that Chan Mun Chiong was charged with committing an act of gross indecency, i.e. under Section 377A of the Penal Code.

His offence, to which he apparently intends to plead guilty, was to have oral sex with a 16-year-old boy when he knew he was HIV-positive. For that, Chan was also charged under the Infectious Diseases Act for endangering the health and the life of his partner.

People Like Us fully support prosecuting anyone, such as Chan, who acts so recklessly in spreading HIV.

But, however culpable Chan was in this regard, he should not have been discriminated against for having another male person as his sexual partner and should not have faced the additional charge under Section 377A.

If an HIV-positive man had sex with a 16-year-old female, there would be no comparable charge for the sex act itself, since a 16-year-old female is considered by law to be capable of giving consent. Neither would it be so if an HIV-positive woman had sex with a 16-year-old boy, for here too, the sex act would be legal.

The Prime Minister, last October 23rd, said in Parliament that the authorities would not "proactively enforce Section 377A." In effect, he was assuring gay citizens that they could consider Section 377A as no threat and not fear discriminatory treatment under the law.

This case of Chan Mun Chiong contradicts this assurance. By having to face an additional charge where heterosexual couples would not, he was being discriminated against. Guilty though he might have been of putting a young life at risk through concealing his HIV status, he still deserved to be treated fairly with respect to his choice of sexual partner.

The assurance by the Prime Minister is clearly revealed by this case to be insufficient and underlines again the need to bring clarity to the law, by repealing Section 377A.

(The online version of this media statement can be found at http://www.plu.sg/society/?p=108 )

AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL Canada

May 8, 2008
Defamation suit threatens shut-down of opposition party

Amnesty International has on numerous occasions expressed its concern about the continuing use of restrictive laws and civil defamation suits to muzzle critics and opposition party members. Laws allowing the authorities to impose restrictions on freedom of expression and assembly violate international standards. Such laws, combined with a pattern of politically motivated defamation suits, have served to maintain a climate of political intimidation and self-censorship in Singapore.

In the most recent development, leaders of the small opposition Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) fear that a defamation suit won by Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew and his son, Prime MInister Lee Hsieng Loong, may result in their party being made bankrupt. On Monday, May 12, the court will determine the amount to be paid in damages to the Lee plaintiffs by the SDP and two prominent SDP members, Dr Chee Soon Juan (Secretary-General) and Ms Chee Siok Chin (Central Executive member). The amount may be assessed at over US$500,000, which would result in bankruptcy and possible de-registration of the party.

The defamation suit was launched by MM Lee and PM Lee in 2006 following publication in the SDP newsletter of an article comparing the running of Singapore with a scandal involving lavish spending by the head of Singapore's charitable National Kidney Foundation. The assessment to be made on May 12 follows a court process whose fairness has been questioned by critics. The case was decided against the defendants in a summary judgment (i.e. in the judge's chambers rather than in open court). The SDP defendants were not allowed to call witnesses or cross-examine Lee Kuan Yew or Lee Hsien Loong. And the judge continued to hear the plaintiffs' testimony, despite the absence of the defendants' lawyer, who was ill.

Both Dr Chee and Ms Chee (his sister) are recognised internationally for their commitment to human rights and democracy through non-violence. Ms Chee, already made bankrupt, continues to speak at high-level international meetings. Dr Chee, also made bankrupt, is barred from seeking election, has been heavily fined, repeatedly imprisoned, sacked from his university position, and is not allowed to travel abroad without permission (which has repeatedly been denied). A recipient of the Defender of Democracy award by Parliamentarians for Global Action, he is a leading member of a number of international human rights and democracy bodies and is the author of several books on related matters.

Despite continuing moves against critics, the government has repeatedly claimed that it is building an " open society". Amnesty International remains gravely concerned that restrictive laws and civil defamation suits continue to be used in Singapore to stifle criticism and debate -- in clear violation of international law.